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Archive for IPCC Report or Review

15th September 2016

Melinda Korosi (33) was murdered on 15th September 2016 at her home in Orton Road, Carlisle. She was beaten to death with a sharpened rock.

Ms Korosi was an English language teacher. She had two children and was a Hungarian national.

In March 2017, at Carlisle Crown Court, Miklos Verebes (29), Ms Korosi’s former partner and the father of her children, was found guilty of murder and three counts of rape between 2013 and 2016. He was sentenced to life in prison and ordered to serve a minimum of 28 years before he could be considered for parole.

Jurors watched a video of a police interview that Ms Korosi gave six days before her death in which she outlined regular sexual, physical and emotional abuse that she suffered at the hands of Verebes. Verebes had previously been jailed for an assault on Ms Korosi. He was also a Hungarian national.

Verebes murdered his Ms Korosi just two days after he was released without charge after she had reported to police that he had repeatedly raped her.

The Court heard Ms Korosi had already been classed as at high risk of harm following an assessment by an independent domestic violence adviser.

The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) is investigating the contact that Ms Korosi had with Cumbria Constabulary.

Two Cumbria detectives are facing a misconduct inquiry.

An IPCC spokeswoman said: “Based on the evidence collected so far the IPCC investigator has decided there is an indication of misconduct by a detective constable and a detective sergeant at the force. Both officers have been notified. All other officers involved in this case are being treated as witnesses at this time.”

Following Verebes’s convictions, Ms Korosi’s mother Marta Hegyi Csiscman said she loved her daughter with her “whole heart”. She said: “It is very difficult to accept that she is no more, I can never embrace her again and I cannot help her achieve her goals. There are many questions and I don’t know if there will ever be answers to them, I only know that my big daughter of whom I was always proud did not deserve this and she will never be able to tell me what had happened and why. She can never make her dreams come true and cannot raise her children and I can never help her in anything anymore.”

Died 6th November 2014

Cerys Yemm (22) from Blackwood was murdered on 6th November 2014 at the Sirhowy Arms Hotel, Argoed, Caerphilly, South Wales.

Ms Yemm was killed by Matthew Williams (34). Security staff at the hotel reportedly found her terribly injured and cannibalised with the killer eating her face.

After the police were called Williams was tasered and died while under arrest. Ms Yemm was later pronounced dead.

Ms Yemm was a popular young woman, a well known shopworker who worked at Next.

It seems she had met Williams in a pub hours before her death where he was heard to offer to get her a taxi home. Williams had been released from prison two weeks earlier after serving less than half of a 5 year sentence for attacking his former partner,
Emma Thomas.

He was it seems not subject to any probation service monitoring, despite the fact his former parter lived close by and could have been at risk.

He had a reputation for violence and there were reports he may have been high on drugs.

Ms Thomas said: “He made my life hell. I’ve had nothing to do with him since we broke up more than two years ago. It is a terrible shock and I’m very sad that this has happened.”

The Sirhowy Arms Hotel is a halfway house for ex-offenders.

Note: This report was drawn from reports in the Daily Mail and the BBC.

FOD Comment:

Ms Yemm’s terrible death is not being investigated by the IPCC, despite the fact that Williams was an unsupervised violent offender and known to be a danger to women. In addition, it seems a single female police officer was sent to this extraordinarily violent incident.

Williams death in police custody is however under investigation by the IPCC.

Died 12th September 2014

Mary Shipstone (7) was shot by her father on 11th September 2014 outside her home in Spring Hill, Northiam, East Sussex. Mary was flown to King’s College hospital in London where she died of her injuries shortly before 3pm the next day.

Lyndsey Shipstone (42) Mary’s mother, had left her father Yasser Alromisse (46) due to his violence. She had been living with her at a secret address in Northiam, near Rye, in East Sussex.

Alromisse, who lived in Worthing, West Sussex, was found shot dead in his car shortly after the killing.

Neighbours said Alromisse was waiting in his car for his daughter and ex-partner as they walked home from nearby Beckley Church of England primary school at 4pm. Ms Shipstone screamed: “He’s got a gun” before Alromisse shot Mary twice in the head.

Armed police arrived at the scene within minutes and found Alromisse slumped inside his car with a self-inflicted bullet wound.

In a statement issued through Sussex Police, Ms Shipstone and her son Stephen said: “We are grieving the death of our beautiful and loving Mary.”

Beckley Primary School, where Mary was a pupil, said in a statement “This is a dreadfully sad and shocking incident and the whole school community are praying for her and her family.”

After the shooting, a neighbour, Denise Berwick said “All I heard was a lady shouting and then I looked out and she was cradling her child in her arms. I have never seen anything like that before. It’s an absolute tragedy and my heart goes out to the girl and her family.”

The incident raises questions for Sussex police, whose officers had been in contact with Ms Shipstone in the weeks and months leading up to the killing. Ms Shipstone is understood to have told police she was concerned about a possible attack by her ex-partner, who officers knew had a history of domestic violence.

In 2013, Ms Shipstone was moved to a secret address in the quiet village with Mary and her older son, Stephen Shipstone (21) to escape Alromisse. He was involved in a custody battle for the children and was known to pose a threat to the family due to his history of domestic violence.

Egyptian-born Alromisse is thought to have discovered their address months before the shooting due to details on court papers. He was reportedly seen a week earlier staking out the area in his Toyota Rav 4 vehicle.

Ms Shipstone married Alromisse in Liverpool in 2005 after she converted to Islam. After they separated, Ms Shipstone lived with her children in Brighton between 2009 and 2011.

Investigators are waiting to take a full account from Ms Shipstone. The case is likely to face investigation by the Independent Police Complaints Commission. The Guardian reported that as at 15th September 2014 the IPCC had not yet received a referral from Sussex police.

The force declined to comment on any warnings it may have received about Alromisse. A spokesman said: “We’re investigating the circumstances of how Alromisse came to be at the house in Northiam. At this stage, we are still trying to confirm how he discovered the address.”

Police and Crime Commissioner, Katy Bourne, said: “The untimely and tragic death of Mary Shipstone has no doubt had a profound effect on her family, the local community and everyone who knew her. In my role as PCC, I will be closely following the progress of the police investigation and the circumstances around Mary’s death.”

After the shooting, Detective Chief Inspector Jason Taylor said: “This is a fast-moving investigation and there are still a large amount of inquiries being carried out before we can confirm the full picture of what happened. We are currently trying to establish Mr Alromisse’s movements over the last few days and are keen to hear from anyone who may have seen or heard from him. At this time however, I am not looking for anyone else in connection with this investigation and believe this to be an isolated incident.”

Chief Superintendent Neil Honnor, divisional commander for Sussex Police in East Sussex, said: “This was a tragic domestic incident that has had the most terrible of outcomes for the family. We are working with partner agencies and local leaders to support and reassure the community who are understandably upset about what has happened.
We are trying to be as open and honest with the public as we can but have to take into account the traumatic experience the family is going through as well as the fact that this is an ongoing investigation. If anyone has any concerns about the safety of their neighbourhood I would urge them to contact us but we are sure this was an isolated incident and that no one else is in any danger.”

Died 4th August 2014

Palmira Silva (82) has died, apparently by being beheaded, in the garden of a house in Edmonton, north London. Officers found her collapsed in a back garden and she was pronounced dead at the scene.

A 25-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of murder and is in custody. It is unknown at this stage whether he was known to Ms Silva.

The man is in hospital being treated for injuries suffered during arrest. A Taser was used during the arrest and a firearms officer is believed to have suffered a broken wrist.

Police said they were initially called to reports of a man armed with a knife and eyewitnesses said he had attacked an animal, possibly a cat or a dog. There were also reports that a machete had been used.

Detectives were anxious to reassure the public that there was no suggestion the killing had a “terrorist motive”.

Detective Chief Inspector John Sandlin said: “I can understand why this may cause people concern, however we are confident that we are not looking for anyone else at this stage.
Whilst it is too early to speculate on what the motive behind this attack was I am confident, based on the information currently available to me, that it is not terrorist related.”

The case is being investigated by Scotland Yard’s Homicide Command and the Independent Police Complaints Commission has also been informed of the incident.

Note: This report was drawn from a report in the BBC.

FOD Comment: FOD notes that when journalists have been beheaded abroad it has dominated the news and political debate. However, when women are beheaded in domestic settings, it generally doesn’t make headlines. Police and commentators have suggested we ought to be relieved that the death of Palmira Silva appears not to be”terrorist related”. In fact, of course, such killings are acts of terrorism. Male journalists like Sarfraz Manzoor may tweet that they feel “relief”. We do not.

Died 5th April 2014.

Kayleigh Palmer (16) of Bishops Cleeve, Gloucestershire died on 5th April 2014 of strangulation. On 2nd April 2014 she was found unconscious in Humber Road, Cheltenham with a scarf around her neck. She died 3 days later in Gloucestershire Royal Hospital. She was 5 months pregnant and a year 11 student at Cleeve School.

Kaleigh Palmer’s boyfriend Aston Robinson (18) was arrested and charged with attempted murder. After her death he was charged with murder.

Gloucestershire Constabulary confirmed consideration was being given to the possibility of charges in relation to the death of Kayleigh-Anne’s unborn child.

After her death, a spokesperson for Gloucestershire Constabulary said: “A teenage girl assaulted in Cheltenham on Wednesday has died in hospital in Gloucester. Emergency services were called to a house on Humber Road in the town just after midday. A short while later a 16-year-old girl was taken to Gloucestershire Royal Hospital, where she sadly died at around 11am on Saturday.”

Kayleigh was due to sit her GCSEs exams later in the year she died. Rob Broadbridge, Kayleigh’s headmaster at Cleeve School praised her for her “determination, kindness and vibrant personality”. He added: “We’re deeply saddened and shocked by the tragic death of Kayleigh Palmer [and] our thoughts and condolences are with her family, friends and all who knew her at this very sad time.”

She was reported to be thrilled to be expecting a baby. One of Kayleigh’s friends said: “It wasn’t just her that died – she had a new life inside her and she was so looking forward to giving birth and being a mum. It’s a double tragedy for her and her family.”

Kayleigh’s mother Helen Bage said: “Kay was so beautiful inside and out. She was very loving towards family and friends and always remained loyal to us all. You always knew when Kay was around because she had the most wicked sense of humour and always made people laugh. Her personality lit up every room she entered.”

Her father Dean Palmer said: “Kay was my beautiful daughter. She was great company and had a great sense of humour. I was the first to hold her and I’m devastated she won’t ever get the chance to hold her own baby.”

Kayleigh’s grandparents Michael Bage and Carole Bage said: “From the moment our grand-daughter Kay was born, we were privileged to be a part of her life. We gave her our unconditional love and in return she gave us so much more. Both she and her friends filled our home for many years with fun and laughter but sadly this can be no longer. Kay was so beautiful inside and out.” They added “Thankfully, nothing is more precious than all the memories we hold dear of our beautiful Kay who was so very special to us. We loved you so much Kay and you will always be in our hearts.”

After her death a friend Jodie Preedy (16) said: “Kay was a beautiful girl. Words can’t describe how devastated I am. My thoughts go out to her family and friends at this sad time. She was so innocent and didn’t deserve any of this. She will be dearly missed.”

Chairman of Bishop’s Cleeve Parish Council, Peter Lightfoot, said: “We are all shocked that something like this can happen and want to express our sympathy to her friends, family and the school at what is a really difficult time. It is particularly tragic when something like this happens to someone so young, who has their whole life ahead of them. The school is a really important part of the community for the council and we are thinking of them at this difficult time.”

CPS District Crown Prosecutor Allie Longhorn said: “Having examined the file of evidence presented to us by Gloucestershire Constabulary, we have concluded that there is sufficient evidence to charge Aston Robinson with the murder of Kayleigh Palmer and that it is in the public interest to do so. Aston Robinson now stands charged with an extremely serious criminal offences and has the right to a fair trial. It is extremely important that nothing should be published which could prejudice that trial.”

The case was referred to the Independent Police Complaints Commission by the force, because there had been previous contact between Kayleigh and the police.

Police continue to investigate and are appealing for anybody with information to call police on 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Note: This report was drawn from reports in the Daily Mail and Gloucestershire Echo.

Died 8th August 2013

Caroline Parry (46) was shot dead in Seabreeze Avenue in Newport on 8th August 2013. She was found dead in the street next to her car. After her death neighbours reported hearing three gunshots.

In June 2014 her husband Christopher Parry (49) from Cwmbran, from whom she was separated, went on trial for her murder at Newport Crown court. He denies murder but has admitted manslaughter.

Ms Parry was the mother of two children, a19-year-old daughter and a16-year-old son.

Ms Parry lived in Cwmbran for a number of years, but had recently moved to Newport.

Parry was described as a “controlling and dominant” individual. It is alleged he shot Ms Parry dead because he could not accept she had left him. Ms Parry was shot in the back at close range near her home.

Prosecutor Michael Mather-Lees QC said Parry waited for his wife to leave her new lover’s home on the morning of the shooting, before removing a semi-automatic shotgun from the boot of his car.

Mr Mather-Lees said that after shooting her he then turned the gun on himself, which left him with “substantial head injuries”.

Newport Crown Court heard Parry had been “controlling” during the 27-year marriage.

Mr Mather-Lees said: “Such was the state of the marriage she left and went to live with her mother, telling her husband she would never go back to him. But he could not accept the fact that his wife had left him after years of unhappiness. She later went to live with a man called Gary Bidmead who she had met before she left the marital home.”

In the months before the shooting Parry, who had a shotgun licence and kept three firearms at his Cwmbran home, kept his wife “under surveillance” and phoned her persistently, the jury was told. Mr Mather-Lees claimed the shooting was a “carefully planned scheme” by a man “not prepared to let go”. He said “Parry later claimed it was his intention to kill himself in front of his wife – not shoot her. If that was the case why did he have a semi-automatic with three cartridges? The answer is he was planning to kill her and kill her he did.”

After he shot himself Parry was taken to the city’s Royal Gwent Hospital with serious head injuries and was treated under police guard. It was more than a month before Gwent Police officers could interview him.

The trial continues.

The case was referred to the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) because of prior police contact before the incident.

After the shooting Chief Inspector Huw Nicholas confirmed police were not looking to speak to anyone else about the incident, adding: “This is a tragic incident and our priority and focus is to give the appropriate and specialist support to the families of those involved and to investigate and establish what happened here this morning. While I am limited as to what I can say about the people involved, what I can say is it is known that they had previously been in a relationship which had come to the attention of police. For this reason we have referred the matter to the IPCC.”

After the deaths, Lliswerry ward councillor Allan Morris has told residents not to panic.
He told Wales Online: “People shouldn’t be alarmed. This appears to be a tragic but isolated incident. It is no reflection on the general demeanour of the area. The police response appears to have been magnificent.”

Note: This report was drawn from reports in the BBC and Wales On-line.

FOD Comment: As is usual in cases such as this, we have been unable to find out much about the victim in this case. The media have reported far more about her killer. We do not know the result of the IPCC report, but would be interested to know what protections were put in place for this woman and why this man was allowed a gun licence. We note Cllr Alan Morris’ reference to this as a “tragic but isolated incident”. In fact, such ‘incidents’ are all too common. One of the reasons they are so common is because domestic violence and harassment are not taken seriously enough and domestic homicide is still viewed as family ‘tragedy’ rather than the terrible crime it is.

Died 18th February 2014

Holly Gazzard (20) was fatally stabbed on 18th February 2014 in the Fringe Benefits hairdessing salon in which she worked in Gloucester. She was stabbed 14 times.

Emergency services were called to the scene and Ms Gazzard was taken to hospital but later died from her injuries.

In June 2014 Ms Gazzard’s former boyfriend Asher Maslin (22) admitted murder at Bristol Crown Court. Consequently, prosecutor Stephen Mooney did not open the case. Judge Neil Ford QC, the Recorder of Bristol, remanded Maslin into custody to be sentenced by a High Court judge.

Judge Ford told Maslin: “Your sentencing will take place on a date to be fixed in the relative near future. You appreciate that the only sentence that can be imposed is one – imprisonment for life. It will be for the sentencing judge to determine the minimum term you will serve before you become eligible for parole.”

Ms Gazzard’s family, including her mother Mandy, father Nick and elder sister Chloe, attended court. Hollie Gazzard’s family described her as “a popular and much-loved young woman” adding that the “very public nature of her death has affected a great many people across the community”.

Shortly after her death, the family said “the brightest star” in their lives had gone out. In a statement issued through Gloucestershire Police, they said: “Hollie is our daughter and she was a beautiful, happy and loving girl. Everybody she came in contact with loved her, enjoyed her company, her happy nature and her sense of fun.” They added: “She was at the beginning of life and to have it taken away in this manner is very hard to bear. The only comfort we have at this time is that Hollie is now free and at peace and that no harm can ever come to her.”

Since Ms Gazzard’s death, her family have set up a charitable trust in her name, to sponsor the training of young hairdressers and contribute towards the fight against domestic violence. In April 2014, hundreds of people took part in a walk from Gloucester to Cheltenham to raise money for the charitable trust.

DCI Bean added “He has shown no remorse, he made a ‘no comment’ interview and has not shown any kind of feeling or emotion. There were a couple of previous, fairly minor, domestic incidents, and nothing to indicate what he went on to do. This murder happened in such a public place and those witnesses were severely traumatised by what they saw.” (Please see below the FOD Comment on this statement)

The court heard Maslin purchased a knife shortly before going to the salon. Reports after her death indicated that Ms Gazzard had ended their relationship a month before she was killed.

At the time, Kayleigh Bishop, reported to be a friend, said that in 2013 Ms Gazzard had briefly moved in with Maslin.

Ms Gazzard was nearing the end of her shift when Maslin walked in and attacked in front of colleagues and customers. Police searched a building site near the scene and recovered a knife.

Ms Gazzard attended Chosen Hill School in Churchdown, near Gloucester, then trained as a hairdresser at the Reflections chain of salons.

Ms Gazzard had previously worked at Zest bar in Eastgate Street, Gloucester. Rich Payne, owner of Zest, paid tribute to her. He said: “She was beautiful. She was absolutely loved by everyone who met her. She was an amazing person. We are all heartbroken to hear what has happened. She was beautiful. She always had a smile on her face with her big white teeth on show. She was always happy and got on with anyone. I just want everyone to know how amazing she was. She was so petite, just 5ft 1ins and tiny, it is hard to see how anyone could hurt her. We are all so shocked and heartbroken by what has happened. It must have been horrific for everyone involved.”

On the Fringe Benefits website Ms Gazzard wrote: “I have always known this path was for me as I have always taken a passionate interest in hair and fashion. I am a very passionate individual and take great pride in my work so can offer all my clients a unique professional and personal experience. I am a fully qualified and experienced level 3 hair designer, with a blend of in salon and academy training. I have recently worked on a cruise ship which was an enlightening experience but was not for me. I am now back in my home city and very excited to join Fringe Benefits and be part of their lovely team. I enjoy spending my free time with friends and family and going on shopping trips. I also like to keep fit and own a Pomeranian dog which keeps me on my toes.”

In December Ms Gazzard wrote on Facebook: “Why are people so selfish?! If a person isn’t happy within the relationship why try and make them stay?!”

Members of the public filmed the incident on their phone. Police asked them not to post film on social media websites and to provide it to police for evidential purposes.

It was reported that officers were called out as a result of a man allegedly attacking a woman at a shop in Southgate Street, Gloucester, at about 5.50pm on Monday 17th February 2014, the day before Ms Gazzard died.

The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) has launched an investigation into Gloucestershire Police’s contact with Ms Gazzard before her death.

As he was driven away from court the killer made an obscene gesture. There had been investigations as to whether there were any psychiatric issues in the case, but the court heard there were not.

Note: This report was drawn from the Daily Mail and the BBC.

FOD Comment:

We note SCI Bean’s comment that “There were a couple of previous, fairly minor, domestic incidents, and nothing to indicate what he went on to do.”. The truth is that few domestic attacks come to the attention of police and so they should take all of them very seriously. Most domestic homicides are preceded by threats and assaults, many of which are not taken seriously by police. If the police exercised a policy of zero tolerance of all such attacks, it would prevent many homicides.

Died 31st July 2013

Linah Keza (29) was stabbed to death at her flat in King Edward Road, Leyton, east London, on 31st July 2013.

In May 2014, at the Old Bailey, Ms Keza’s former partner David Gikawa (38) was found guilty of her murder. She died just days after she told police she was “petrified” of Gikawa.

Ms Keza worked as a model and was the mother of a small daughter who was in the flat when she died.

After her death it emerged that she had been in contact with police on three separate occasions in the days before she was killed.

A post-mortem examination gave the cause of death as stab wounds to the chest. A knife with its end broken off was found at the scene.

The court heard that Ms Keza had recently separated from Gikawa, who was the father of her child.

On the day of the murder, a neighbour heard screaming coming from Ms Keza’s flat. He was so concerned that he left his home to check on her. He heard Ms Keza call for him to “Kick down the door” and so he forced it open, but Gikawa had his back against the door and stopped him entering.

The neighbour looked through a glass panel on the door and saw Gikawa with his arm around Ms Keza’s neck. When he was able to fully open the front door to the flat, he found her lying on the floor in a pool of blood.

Detective Inspector Ken Hughes said: “Gikawa launched a violent attack on his ex-partner and mother of his young child. He showed no remorse and didn’t hang around when confronted by a concerned neighbour who came to her aid.”

The court heard that Gikawa was “motivated by jealousy”. The Old Bailey heard that Ms Keza had previously contacted both the police and social services for protection.

In his opening speech, Peter Finnigan QC, for the prosecution, said: “Linah had told him that their relationship was over.” He said Ms Keza was “was seeing another man” and wanted to be “free from the fear, threats and control”.

Mr Finnigan said Gikawa had previously attacked Ms Keza, once allegedly placing a knife inside her mouth. Police were called but she did not want to go to court and the case was dropped, the jury was told.

A few days before her death Ms Keza tried to obtain a non-molestation order from the court. In a witness statement she said their relationship “went downhill” when she became pregnant and he was “very controlling” and “made me lose a lot of my confidence and self-esteem”. She said: “I’m petrified of him. I don’t want a life of violence any more. I just want to live a safe life.”

Mr Finnigan said Ms Keza had also told police that the accused “carries a kitchen knife that he had sharpened”. He added: “It’s obvious isn’t it that the systems in place failed to prevent her death.”

The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) is examining police contact with Ms Keza and Gikawa, especially between 23rd and 31st July, and whether information dating back to 2010 was available to officers.

IPCC Commissioner Jennifer Izekor said: “Our investigation will seek to identify the level of contact and information known to Metropolitan Police officers before Linah’s tragic death. We have made contact with Ms Keza’s family and explained why we are involved and outlined our investigation to them. I would like to assure Ms Keza’s family that our investigation will be thorough and rigorous in determining the circumstances surrounding police contact with their loved one before her death.”

The police announced that the neighbour who came to her aid when he heard screaming will be awarded a public commendation.

Died 29th July 2008

Cassandra Hasanovic (24), known as Cassie, was murdered on 29th July 2008 outside her mother’s home in Bognor, Sussex.

Hajrudin Hasanovic (34) her Serbian-born husband, of Guston, near Dover, was jailed for life in 2009 for her murder by Judge Richard Brown at Lewes Crown Court. He will serve a minimum of 18 years.

He had denied murder but had admitted manslaughter on grounds of diminished responsibility.

Ms Hasanovic was living separately from her violent husband and was on her way to a refuge when she was stabbed to death in front of her young children and mother.

In February 2014 a jury at an inquest in Chichester, Sussex returned a verdict of unlawful killing and criticised the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) and Sussex Police for failing to take steps to safeguard her life.

The inquest heard that in fear for her life, Ms Hasanovic decided to leave her mother’s home in Bognor Regis and go to a women’s refuge. She had asked police for an escort to the refuge but the request was refused. As her mother started the car with Ms Hasanovic and her children in the back, Hasanovic appeared. He then grabbed his wife, pulled her across one of the children and into the street, where he repeatedly stabbed her with a large kitchen knife.

Following the inquest verdict, West Sussex Coroner Penelope Schofield said she would be writing to the Association of Chief Police Officers, Sussex Police and the CPS to recommend information on domestic violence cases be shared across forces.

Jaswant Narwal, chief crown prosecutor in CPS South East, said: “It is now clear that there were shortcomings in the way in which we dealt with Cassandra’s case [in 2007].
Since that time, the CPS and the criminal justice system as a whole have seen significant changes in the way we prosecute domestic violence and sexual offences.”

Detective Chief Inspector Pierre Serra said the murder was a “watershed moment” for Sussex Police and the force had already learnt a number of “important lessons” about how it dealt with domestic abuse. He said “We continue to express our sincere condolences to Cassie’s family who have suffered this tragic loss of a mother and daughter”.
“Sussex Police acknowledges the verdict of the jury in this case and awaits the Coroner’s letter highlighting points raised in the inquest.”

The Inquest seems to have come to very different conclusions from an earlier investigation by the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC), which began an investigation because of police contact with Ms Hasanovic before her death. That report said the officers who dealt with her complaints about her estranged husband had “acted appropriately”. The IPCC also said officers were not obliged to transport her to the women’s refuge on the day of her murder.

At the time, IPCC Commissioner Mike Franklin said: “The IPCC investigation was thorough and I do not believe that the tragic events that unfolded on 29th July could reasonably have been foreseen by Sussex Police and prevented.”

The Coroner’s view and the police and CPS response seem forcefully to contradict this.

During Hasanovic’s two-week trial, jurors heard how he attacked Ms Hasanovic after losing a custody battle for their two young sons, aged five and three, and was being deported. The court heard she had voiced repeated fears to police and her family about a catalogue of threats and abuse she had suffered during their five-year marriage.

Judge Richard Brown told Hasanovic: “I am satisfied on the evidence that you clearly planned to kill your wife and you armed yourself for that purpose. This was an horrendous act of violence committed in a public place in full view of your children, the very children you claimed to care so much for. In killing her, you have deprived those boys of their mother and devastated her family and friends.”

In a statement after the sentencing, Sharon De Souza, the mother of Ms Hasanovic, said “a light has gone out of our lives”. She described her daughter as “a beautiful, loving, compassionate, inspirational woman” who absolutely adored her children. She said
“This brutal, cruel and senseless act has torn our lives apart”.

Hasanovic was arrested on suspicion of attacking his wife after their marriage came to an end in May 2007. A non-molestation order was imposed by the courts in April 2007 banning Hasanovic from venturing within 250m of Ms Hasanovic or from calling or texting her, but he continually breached it.

Jurors heard she fled to relatives in Australia, but was forced to return to the UK after Hasanovic started legal proceedings to try to gain custody of their two sons.

Ms Hasanovic’s mother, Sharon De Souza, told the inquest her daughter gave Sussex and Kent police forces information about where her husband, who lived in Dover, was working and living. Despite telling them he was repeatedly breaching the non-molestation order, no-one seemed to be doing anything to catch him, she said.

Ms De Souza said her daughter had been “unravelling in fear” about what Hasanovic would do to her. During the trial, Hasanovic was described as a “paranoid and jealous” partner who turned his wife from being bright and bubbly to a “petrified” young woman.

Ms De Souza said her daughter’s mobile phone had a direct line to the police and that a panic button had been installed in her home. She said Hasanovic called her daughter continually and even made a friend request to her on Facebook shortly before he killed her. She said Ms Hasanovic had been frightened to go out on her own and would only let one of her children go into daycare because they had CCTV cameras and used codes to get into the building, so there was less of a risk of abduction. She said her daughter felt like a “sitting duck” but could not go anywhere because Hasanovic had taken the children’s passports.

Her mother said “She kept saying to me, ‘I know he’s going to kill me mum’. His time with immigration was running out and she believed that was when he would do something because his situation was getting desperate. She was unravelling in fear and the refuge was offered.” Ms De Souza said she believed the police should have given them help to get to the refuge safely but when they asked for help nothing was done.

During the trial, Prosecutor Philippa McAtasney QC told the court: “He knew that he had lost the custody battle and was about to be deported, so in anger and hate he carried out the threats to kill that he made to Cassandra on numerous occasions.”

After the trial Detective Chief Inspector Graham Pratt, from Sussex Police, described Hasanovic as “cold and callous”. He added “When he realised that he was likely to lose what was most important to him, namely his children, he planned to kill Cassie”.

Found Dead 22nd February 2014

Two women, believed to be Christine Lee (66) and her daughter Lucy (40) were found dead on 22nd February 2014 in Farnham, Surrey. Both had been shot.

Surrey Police found the older woman’s body inside Keepers Cottage Stud in Waverley Lane. The younger woman’s body was found outside near animal pens. There were reports she had been shot dead as she tried to flee.

John Lowe (82), a dog breeder, has been arrested on suspicion of murder. There are reports he was Ms Lee’s partner.

After the bodies were found, a police spokesperson said “The parties involved are all believed to be known to each other and police are not looking for anyone else in connection with the incident”.

Chief Inspector Mark Preston said a long-barrelled weapon was found at the house. CI Preston could not say who initially alerted police, but confirmed nobody else was at the property at the time of the shooting and that the arrested man was uninjured. Both victims had been shot with a long-barrelled shotgun and were pronounced dead at the scene.

It was unclear whether Lowe had a licence for the firearm found at the property.

CI Preston confirmed police had had dealings with the arrested man in the past and said the matter had been referred to the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC). He did not believe there were any active investigations in relation to the suspect at the time of the shootings.

An IPCC spokesman said they were aware of the incident and would be making a decision about whether they would investigate the matter.

Initial reports suggested the women may have been customers who bought a puppy from Lowe. Police officers also found four dogs that had been shot dead – three German shepherds and a Labrador.

After the shootings, animal welfare officers from the RSPCA were called to rescue animals at the property. The property is surrounded by dense woodland and has a driveway lined with signs to say 24-hour CCTV surveillance is in operation.

The farm has been the subject of repeated investigations by animal welfare agencies and complaints by members of the public about animal wefare. In 2004, Lowe was the subject of an investigation by BBC’s Inside Out programme, which claimed he was breeding and selling puppies in poor condition. Some were said to have died soon after being bought.

In 2008, journalists working on a BBC investigation into conditions at his animal farm interviewed customers who said they had bought dogs from Lowe without knowing they were seriously ill.

In 2009 Lowe was convicted at Guildford Crown Court of illegal dog breeding. He was fined £2,000 and banned from breeding dogs for five years.

In July 2013 Surrey Police and the RSPCA were called in about concerns about breeding at the farm, when 50 dogs were found. After the women’s deaths RSPCA Inspector Rob Jackson said: “I came to Mr Lowe’s property about six months ago responding to a complaint about the welfare of dogs at the farm. I will not discuss that visit but previously he has bred a number of different breeds” . An online petition set up last year calling on the RSPCA to close the puppy farm attracted 1,300 signatures.

One neighbour was reported as saying “The RSPCA was always up there and no sooner had they shut him down than he would spring back into business. They just couldn’t stop him”.

Note: This report was drawn from reports in the BBC and the Daily Mail.

FOD Comment: FOD notes that some newspapers seem more concerned about four dead dogs than two dead women. Despite this, we do believe that in this case it is legitimate to raise issues about animal welfare. The Police and RSPCA are becoming increasingly aware of potential links between abuse of animals and harm to children. They are perhaps less conscious of the links with domestic violence – though anyone who has worked in a refuge will be well aware of this. Repeated proven cruelty to animals and alleged defiance of the courts should raise major concerns about public safety and certainly prevent access to a licensed gun. It will be interesting to see how the IPCC proceeds in this case.

Died 20th February 2014

Leanne Meecham (26) was found stabbed at her home in Park Street, Westcliff, Essex on 13th February 2014. She was taken to the Royal London Hospital where she was kept in a medically induced coma. She died on 20th February 2014.

Her former partner Simon Meecham (42) of Southend has appeared in court in Chelmsford accused of murdering her.

Ms Meecham was mother to one child.

In a statement, Ms Meecham’s family said: “Leanne was a beautiful woman and a much-loved daughter, sister and mother who always put the happiness of others before her own. She was a devoted mother and a best friend to her siblings, and was always there for anyone who ever needed her help. Leanne would not let people worry about her and even when times were tough for her she showed that she was one of life’s angels.”

The statement went on “Leanne’s tragic and untimely death has left a massive hole in all of our lives that none of us will ever be able to fill and she will never be forgotten by those who love her. We hope that Leanne is now in peace and that justice be allowed to take its course.”

Ms Meecham is reported to have separated from her former partner a year ago. Essex Police have confirmed they had previous contact with Ms Meecham and have referred themselves to the Independent Police Complaints Commission.

Meecham was found by police inside a black Land Rover Discovery in Thorpe Bay, about an hour after the incident.

Detective Chief Inspector Mark Hall said: “We are grateful to members of the public who have come forward with sightings of the Land Rover Discovery so far, but I would make a further appeal to anyone who saw the vehicle in the area of Pleasant Road and Ash Walk between 9.30 and 10.30am.”

Died 2nd June 2010.

Rachael Slack (38) and her 23-month-old son, Auden, were killed on 2nd June 2010, by her former partner Andrew Cairns (44), who then killed himself. Mother and son were stabbed to death at their home in Well Yard, Holbrook. Rachael Slack was an artist.

It was just six days after she had asked officers from Derbyshire Police to intervene when because Cairns had threatened to kill her and take the child.

Cairns, who was the father of Auden, stabbed the toddler to death in Ms Slack’s cottage in Holbrook, Derbyshire, before turning the knife on her. He then fatally stabbed himself, positioning himself on top of Ms Slack. Ms Slack was stabbed 32 times in the chest and back and Auden was stabbed 16 times.

In October 2012, an inquest jury in Derby found that mother and son had been unlawfully killed by Cairns, who went on to take his own life.

After a six week hearing Derbyshire police were singled out for criticism by the inquest jury. The jury ruled that police failings “more than minimally” contributed to the deaths.

The jury was told that Cairns’ mental health had declined since the break-up of his relationship with Ms Slack in 2009.

Evidence showed Ms Slack had been in contact with Derbyshire Police about her concerns about Cairns and his mental health after she told him about her new relationship and pregnancy. On 26th May 2010, Ms Slack drove him to the police station because she was worried about his behaviour. He was detained under the Mental Health Act, but released after an assessment by health professionals. A psychiatrist assessed him as at low risk of suicide and no risk to others.

The following day he was arrested for making threats to kill Miss Slack. He said “”You’re a ******* bitch for abandoning me and getting together with someone else and getting pregnant. I’ve given up everything to be with you, if you are going to make it difficult, I’ll make it more so, you’ve no idea of what I’m capable of, I’ll kill you and take him (Auden) with me.”

No action was taken and he was released on police bail after being warned to stay away from her.

The police had assessed Ms Slack and her son as being at “high risk” of homicide at the hands of her ex-partner, but they failed to warn her of the danger she was in, or to discuss with her adequate steps that could be taken to better protect them both – failures that the jury found “more than minimally” contributed to their deaths.

When asked by the Coroner why more hadn’t been done to protect Ms Slack, Detective Chief Inspector Goacher replied that the house was secure and that most “normal, reasonable individuals” abide by their bail conditions. He also confirmed the child was killed first in front of his mother.

Police also confirmed Cairns tried repeatedly to speak to Ms Slack by telephone, after he was bailed.

As the coroner concluded the inquest by warning of an “epidemic” of domestic violence in the UK, Ms Slack’s family repeated calls made by victims and relatives of those affected for a public inquiry into how the state fails vulnerable women.

The family’s lawyers told the Guardian they were suing Derbyshire police, mental health services and social services for failing to protect the mother and child. Ms Slack’s partner at the time of her death, Robert Barlow, said that “things need to change” in the way such cases are handled. He said

Dr Robert Hunter, the coroner for Derby and South Derbyshire, said he would be writing to the home secretary to call for changes in the law giving police greater powers to detain people suspected of domestic and sexual violence.

Hayden Slack, Rachael’s brother, said he wanted a public inquiry into domestic violence: “The space that has been left in our lives by the tragic loss of Rachael and Auden will never be filled and never should be. Rachael was a devoted mother, a beautiful and truly caring person with a positive outlook on life. We hope any failings identified as a result of this inquest will ensure lessons are learned that could protect the lives of other women and children threatened by domestic violence.”

Mr Slack’s lawyer, Sarah Ricca, said: ‘The particular tragedy of this case is that the lives of Rachael and Auden were lost after they were both assessed as being at high risk of homicide. Why did this assessment not lead to steps to protect Rachael and Auden?”

The national domestic violence charity Refuge also wants an official inquiry to investigate why victims of domestic violence are “still not getting the protection they deserve from the police and other state agencies”.

Karl Smethem, assistant chief constable of Derbyshire, expressed sympathy for Ms Slack’s family but said he was confident his force’s procedures for the investigation of domestic violence incidents met national guidelines in 2010. He said the force was actively investigating the threats Cairns made to Ms Slack at the time of the deaths adding: “We did take steps to ensure that Rachael and Auden’s home was secure.”

He said that as a result of two reviews the force had “developed and improved” its domestic violence policies and procedures. The inquest heard that Derbyshire police have now told officers to make it clear to victims if they are deemed at “high risk” of homicide.

Coroner Dr Robert Hunter told jurors that Cairns, a former golf tutor, had been known to psychiatric services for a “considerable number of years” and had been prescribed anti-depressants.

Dr Nitesh Painuly, the consultant psychiatrist who treated Cairns between early 2009 and March 2010 told the jury that knowing his mental health history would not have led him to predict the tragedy. He said that while he was his patient there had been a number of occasions when his depression worsened.

Dr Painuly said that in March 2010 Cairns stopped engaging with the mental health trust. The last time he saw Cairns was in March 2010, when he did not show “clinical signs of depression”, but was “very angry about the treatment we had been giving him” .

Dr Painuly said Cairns wanted a CT scan because he felt they were missing something.
An appointment with various mental health professionals was made for 4th May, 2010, but Cairns did not turn up. At the meeting the health professionals discussed the possibility that Cairns potentially had a “narcissistic personality disorder”. Dr Painuly described this to the inquest jury as someone who does not lose their childish sense of self-importance. He said: “In this personality disorder people remain quite self-obsessed and self-occupied.” adding “And there is some anger if their self-interest is hampered – there’s that sense of entitlement.”

The killer’s family expressed “extreme disappointment” at the failure to provide Cairns with what they called “the proper levels of care”. A statement on behalf of his sister, Diane Belshaw, said: “The family feel they and Andrew were totally let down by the mental health trust; he had mental health issues and was arrested under the Mental Health Act just days before.”

Derbyshire Healthcare, who had treated Cairns for depression for a number of years, said they had sent a “lessons learnt” memo to all staff.

After the deaths, Derbyshire police referred the case to the Independent Police Complaints Commission. Its findings will be released later.

Note: This report was drawn from reports in the Daily Telegraph, the Guardian, the Derby Telegraph and the Times.